Just looked into which expensive states in USA actually cost the most to live in, and the numbers are wild. Been curious about this since I'm thinking about relocating next year.

So Hawaii absolutely dominates - like $132k annually just to exist there. That's insane. Washington D.C. comes second at around $109k, and Massachusetts is up there too at over $104k. California's also brutal at around $102k per year. These expensive states in USA really aren't messing around.

What surprised me most is how much utilities kill your budget in some places. Massachusetts and Connecticut are getting hammered by utility costs - like $18k annually in Connecticut alone. Vermont's even worse percentage-wise because they're literally at the end of the energy pipeline, so everything costs 21% more. Alaska's healthcare is the real shocker though - 52% above national average. Limited doctors out there I guess.

If you're actually considering moving to one of these expensive states in USA, the breakdown matters. Some places get you on housing, others on utilities or healthcare. Rhode Island's smaller but still pricey at $81k annually. New Hampshire too around $83k. The transportation costs in California are also ridiculous - second highest after Hawaii.

Basically if you want to keep your budget sane, avoid Hawaii and the Northeast corridor. Those expensive states in USA will drain your wallet fast. The data they used was from 2022 so things might've shifted, but the general pattern probably holds. Just thought I'd share since I'm doing this research anyway.